Tiered modular display

ABSTRACT

The display is assembled with flexible display components that are combinable to produce displays that are customized to the displayed product or products. The flexibility of the display components provides an adjustable display structure with variable display sizing and spacing of the displayed product or products.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention pertains generally to display structures thatsupport product samples. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to tiered structures for supporting and displaying planarobjects, such as flooring samples.

BACKGROUND

Retail displays typically are free standing or counter supportedstructures that support products in a high density exposure. The problemwith the prior art structures is that they are often designed for aspecific product and are often not adjustable or combinable toaccommodate product changes or display arrangements.

The preferred solution to the above problem is to have displaycomponents that are combinable to produce displays that vary accordingto the displayed product and are combinable to make larger displayunits.

SUMMARY

The present solution to the above problem provides flexible displaycomponents that are combinable to produce displays that vary accordingto the displayed product and are combinable to make larger displayunits. The flexibility of the present overcomes the disadvantages of theprior art by providing an adjustable display structure with variabledisplay sizing and spacing of the displayed product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a fully constructed modular display according to oneembodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the components that form the displayassembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a fully constructed display having more than onedisplay module;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the components that form a two moduledisplay;

FIG. 5 illustrates one form of a product-securing element;

FIG. 6 illustrates another form of a product-securing element;

FIG. 7 illustrated another form of a product-securing element that hasprojections for securing the element to the display module;

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative modular display based on a wedgeshaped base; and,

FIG. 9 illustrates a product securing element for use with the wedgeshaped base of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the display module 10 has multiplecomponents 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 that form a single display for multipleproduct samples 24. In this configuration the side panels or walls 12and 14 are the mirror images of each other so that the series ofapertures 22 in the panels are opposite each other. The front and rearhorizontal panels or rails, respectively 16 and 18, vary according tothe width needed for displaying the desired product samples 24.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the components of the modules are illustratedin more detail. Each side panel 12 and 14 has a plurality of aperturesor attachment points 22 for connecting horizontal panels 16 and 18 andthe product securing elements 20. In the preferred construction, thevertical panels 12 and 14 are preferably made from wood or a similarmaterial the will accept a mechanical fastener, such as screws or tacks,and the product securing elements 20 are fastened to the vertical panels12 and 14 with a mechanical fastener, such as a screw. The fastener ispreferable connected to the respective projection 43, see FIGS. 5 and 6.The product securing elements are preferably symmetric about theircenterline so they can be used on either side panel. However the productsecuring elements 20A and 20B do have some difference as will bedetailed below.

With reference to FIG. 3, the display 100 has modules 100-1; 100-2;100-3; and 100-4. Modules 100-1; 100-3; and 100-4 have virtuallyidentical widths but the module 100-2 is narrower and has a displayplacard that is secured to the sides of the display members. Thevertical panels 12 and 14 are identical; however, the front and rearhorizontal panels that are varied to achieve the desired width of themodules. The product securing elements 20 are as previously describedherein. The adjacent modules can be assembled with blind fasteners; forexample, the fastener can have a threaded end that secures to one paneland a second end that connect with a press fit to the adjacent panel.Alternatively, a barrel nut and bolt arrangement or a cam connector maybe used to joint panels.

With reference to FIG. 4, there is shown an exploded view of thecomponents that can be assembled into a multiple module display. Thedisplay 100 is assembled much like the display 20 using the samecomponents as display 10. However, display 100 uses the interior side 14for both modules. If a third module is desired, it would be constructedin the same manner with a shared interior side wall.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the presently preferred product securingelements 20A and 20B have slightly different configurations. The leadedge 40 product securing element is the same for both securing elements20A and 20B and most of the securing slots 42 are the same. However, thetrailing edges 50 and 60 of securing elements 20A and 20B are different.Trailing edge 50 has a ledge 52 that results in the trailing edge 50being opened or only half of product securing slot 42. The leading edge54 of securing elements 20 b is a projection that complements the ledge52 so that they form a complete product securing slot 42. The productsecuring elements 20A and 20B can be molded as a continuous length;however, it is currently believed that segments provide greaterflexibility in assembling display modules.

Still with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, each slot 42 is comprise offorward wall 44, a rear wall 46 and a bulbous or inwardly disposed arcsor curvatures that form the recessed bottom 48 that interconnects thewall. The arc of the bottom recess has a radius that is more than halfof the slot 42 so that there is a recessed area formed under the walls.This recess forms a product nesting area that both holds the product andallows the product to move forward and back in a flipping fashion. Anadditional advantage of the current solution over the prior art is itsability to control horizontal movement of the products so they areretained neatly within the display

The product securing element 40 is constructed with a vertical wall 42,a corrugated strip or ribbon 44 that defines the depth 46 of the productsecuring slots 42 and a dependent base 48. The base 48 is presentlypreferred for additional strength with heavier products, but it can beeliminated if the strength requirement is limited.

With reference to FIG. 7, the product securing element 240 isconstructed in one piece with a plurality of projections 243 that areconfigured and sized to be pressed into receiving apertures in sidepanels 12 and 14, and the product is retained in slots 248.

With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the illustrated display 300 is a singlemodule comprised of a base 320 and a plurality of product securingelements 340. With reference to FIG. 8, the base 320 has a plurality ofparallel attachment points or apertures 324 that extend along the outeredges, and, alternatively, a third plurality of parallel attachmentpoints 324 can be provide in the center of the base 320 to accommodateproducts having a narrower width.

With respect to FIG. 9, a preferred product securing element 340 isillustrated. The product securing element 340 is preferably molded in adesired length with at least four product receiving slots 348. The base248 preferably has a plurality of passive connector, like molded pegs orprojections 343 that are dimension for a press fit in the apertures 324of base 320. Alternatively, they can be attached with mechanicalfasteners that are inserted through the base.

1. A modular product display comprising: a support structure having abase plane and at least two sets of spaced apart members extending inplanes that are above the base plane, each member has a lower edgeadjacent to the base plane and an upper edge that is angled with respectto the base plane and has attachment points that are defined on themember proximate to the upper edge; and, at least two product securingelements, each of the at least two product securing elements mounted onattachment points and configured to secure at least two products abovethe edge and at an angle relative to each other.
 2. The modular displayof claim 1 wherein, the support structure supports the at least twoproducts in an angled and tiered arrangement.
 3. The modular display ofclaim 1 wherein, each of the at least two product securing elements isconnected to the support structure with a mechanical fastener.
 4. Themodular display of claim 1 wherein, each of the at least two productsecuring elements is connected to the support structure with a passivefastener.
 5. The modular display of claim 1 wherein, the supportstructure is an assembly of vertical members that are space apart byhorizontal members connected between the vertical members.
 6. Themodular display of claim 5 wherein, the horizontal members are uniformin size.
 7. The modular display of claim 1 wherein each of the productsecuring elements has a product receiving slot with an open end and aclosed bulbous end.
 8. The modular display of claim 7 wherein the closedbulbous end is dimensioned to have a diameter greater than a dimensionassociated with the product receiving slot.
 9. (canceled)
 10. Themodular display of claim 2, wherein each of the product securingelements has a trailing edge and a leading edge with complementaryconfigurations whereby the two product securing elements form anadditional product securing slot when a trailing edge and a leading edgeare arranged serially.
 11. (canceled)
 12. The modular display of claim15, wherein each of the product securing elements has a trailing edgeand a leading edge with complementary configurations whereby two productsecuring elements form an additional product securing slot when atrailing edge and a leading edge are arranged serially.
 13. The modulardisplay of claim 12 wherein each product receiving slot has an open endand a closed bulbous end.
 14. (canceled)
 15. A modular product displaycomprising: at least three vertical members wherein each vertical memberhas a lower horizontal edge, a vertically extending portion and an upperedge on the vertically extending portion that is angled with respect tothe lower horizontal edge; each of the at least three vertical membershas a plurality of attachment points arranged parallel to upper edge ofthe respective vertical member; a plurality of horizontal memberssufficient to connect one of the at least three vertical members betweentwo of the at least three vertical members vertical members; and, aplurality of product securing elements that are secured at respectiveattachment points of the respective vertical member and define at leasttwo product securing slots between connected vertical members, wherebythe product securing slots are in a tiered arrangement that presents asecured product above the upper edge of each of the vertical members.